On Our Way Home
by onmywayhome
Summary: This is an alternate series in which Callum and Sephy run away instead of staying in their home town to give a better life for Callie Rose. It begins with them heading back home.


**Hello everyone, This is a fanfic based on Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman. This would be what happen if Callum didn't die and Callum and Sephy ran away. Hope you enjoy**

 **** I don't own any of the characters or ideas.**

 **Chapter 1:** **Home - Callum**

I didn't know what I was doing, I thought I did. I was fiddling around with the damn thing for an hour now and my patience was running dry.

"Fuck this." I muttered and closed the hood of the car.

The summer was dehydrating and my sweat was dripping profusely. The lemonade my brother left on the porch was starting to get warm, as if there weren't ice cubes in it 5 seconds ago, but I drank it anyway.

"Cal, you ok?" Jay asked. Jay peaked his head through the screen door.

I turned my head towards him, "Yeah, but your effin' car is a piece of crap though. You need to get rid of it."

I stood up from the porch and he stepped out, "Thanks for trying though."

"I told you I could lend you some money for the car, eh?"

"Don't bother."

We sat on the porch for a couple minutes just staring at it. A hand-me down car from a desperate man on kijiji. My brother was a stingy guy and too sensitive to say "no". This is why we have this beat up, 2000 honda civic.

I look at my brother for a minute. I've been gone so long. The Jeremiah I left 6 years ago is not the same one sitting next to me. A bit more broader, taller, his voice a slight more sensitive. We weren't as close growing up, but the years before I left were the closest we've always been.

"Can I tell you something?" He says almost too softly, I vaguely heard him.

"What's up?"

"We missed you here."

"I know."

Since I left 6 years ago much has changed, yet a lot has stayed the same. I was 18.

"You understand why I left, so please don't bring it up again."

"But I don't."

"Well it's not something I'm willing to go through again. That's not why I'm back."

Fed up, I stand and go inside. My brother follows behind, bringing the lemonade in with him. Neamiah, Jay's twin sister, sits beside mom in the living room. I grab the seat next to her and set my eyes on whatever they're watching.

My mom grabs my face for a second, something she often does, maybe more often now that I'm home, as if taking a picture with her eyes, and let's go with a smile. I give her a kiss on the cheek.

She lets out a huge sigh and looks back at the television.

Neamiah, gosh has she matured since I left. More womanly in her stance, her words soft spoken yet stern, maybe life's circumstance is just forcing this onto her. But she carries it beautifully. If there's one thing I regret, it's running away from them, from this house. But what could I have done?

If there's one thing I don't miss, it's my dad. I hear his steps coming closer from behind, sitting ever so delicately on his recliner, or what I often called his "throne." I look at him, he glances at me, expressionless and looks out the window. I might as well have not been here. I stare at him for a while, looking at the experience of life that has left its mark on his face, the anger in his hands, and the complexities in his eyes. Me leaving must have done this, these things were never there before. But the glances of silence and his un-empathetic postures towards me was nothing new to me. I've learned to respectfully give him his space and, sometimes I'd like to think he has too.

I close my eyes for a second and I try to soak everything in. I've only been back for 3 days and it's been alright so far. Processing the stimuli is taking a whole lot of energy from me, something I didn't expect would. What I left 6 years ago seems to have settled. Everyone's eyes were on us, especially on my daughter and girlfriend, but I mean, what's new?

Mom turns her face towards dad, "Douglas, it would be nice if you could at least say 'hello' to your son." Her voice floating like clouds in the sky.

He keeps his eyes dead out the window, "Jay's in his room. I said hi to him this morning."

Mom looks back to me and gently puts her hand on my leg as if apologizing for her husband's behaviour. I smile at her and she smiles back with her eyes, something I have yet to understand how she does. I take her hand in mine and try to soak in the graceful warmth that exuded her. Neamiah looks at me this time, but with tears in her eyes. 'Oh those tears,' I think and get up, kneeling in front of her. "It'll be ok Nea," I try to say, desperately trying not to cry myself because she was my priority and it was my responsibility to protect her. I abandoned her and there's nothing I could do now to mend what I've done. She's done this a couple times since I've gotten back.

Jay comes down the hall and sees Nea crying. Jay gives me a stern look, one I haven't seen before, and I sit back next to mom. I give out a big sigh myself. I feel so useless, inadequate. "What do these people want from me?" I think. Jay takes her hand, gives her a quick smile and says, "C'mon let's go make dinner."

Dinner goes much better. Callie, my 6 year old chatterbox, talks her head off through dinner. She talks about her new school, her puppy, her friends, her clothes, her everything. Everyone laughs at her, including me. She's a big ball of firecrackers waiting to be lit up. My father, surprisingly, assumed the grandfather role as soon as she stepped through the door. I mean it was obviously strange for all of us, having not seen each other in 6 years, but he acted as if he saw Ade yesterday. My dad opened his arms, toys in hand, and said with a smile, "Hello little one." My welcome was a different story.

Sephy, my girlfriend, along with Nea and Callie grab the dishes off the table and head towards the kitchen. My dad starts to leave the table but suddenly stops, looks back at me and says, "Just because you're here doesn't mean anything, we were doing fine without you."

"Dad stop it," Jay replies, "He has every right to be here."

"He left us 6 years ago Jay, doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Does your son mean anything to you?" mom shouts.

"Mom…"

"Cal, your father needs to let go, at least before I die anyways…"

She gets up and heads for the kitchen. My dad leaves and I place my hands on my face, "If it wasn't for mom, you and Nea I wouldn't be here right now."

"Cal, a lot has changed since you left. You can't expect us to just act like everything is normal around here."

"But it is, isn't it? It's just now I have Callie."

"This family is far from normal and you know that. So stop pretending like everything's ok and try to belong to this family."

"Since when did you grow up?" I say jokingly.

"You tell me." He doesn't laugh and walks off too.

He's right though. Nothing is normal about this family, nor will it ever be. Society is slowly changing but, really, who am I kidding?

Tell me what you think. :) Leave a review.


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